Fence



June 17, 1952 w. M; MARTEN S EN 2,600,666

FENCE Filed April 25, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET l INVHVTOR. T I B. 6. WilliamM. Mqr 'Tensen,

Patented June 17, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FENCE William M.Martensen, Chicago, Ill.

Application April 25, 1949, Serial No. 89,391

8 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in fences, and the like. Theimprovements herein disclosed relate especially to sectional fenceswhich can be readily assembled and built into continuous runs of fencingWithout the need of special tools for that purpose. The fence hereindisclosed is built up from units which can be readily assembled togetherat the situs where the fence is to be installed; and thes units are ofsuch construction that they may be thus assembled regardless of theexact contour of the ground, whether rising or descending, or level; andregardless of whether the completed fence is to be straight or curved toconform to various outlines of the lot to be enclosed. Several forms'ofinstallation are illustrated in the drawings, but these are shown merelyby way of examples of the flexibility and versatility of the fenceconstruction herein disclosed.

The fence units herein disclosed are of such form, and are so related toeach other that the desired fence can be built up unit by unit followingthe contour of the ground, and the border of the plot to be enclosed bythe fence. The individual units are of standard form, andinterchangeable, and are provided with interlocking means so that asthey are installed to produce the desired configuration these units willinterlock into a continuous enclosure;

One object of the invention is toprovide a form of fence unit which issimple and can be readily made of wire or rod, of round or square orother selected cross-section, by very simple manufacturing operations,These units are also of such form that they may be readily packed intocontainers of simple and inexpensive form, and with little loss of bulkin such packing to thereby re-' duce shipping costs to a minimum. It isafurther object to so form these units that when they are interlockedtogether into a completed run of fence there will be no duplication ofmaterial in the uprights of the completed fence, thus elimihatingunnecessary material in the units, with consequent reduction of initialcost and weight of the units needed for a given run of fence.

A further feature of the invention relates to means for providing a lowlevel rail or stringer extending along the run of the completed fence,or such portion thereof as may be selected. In this connection it i anobject to make provision for interlocking this rail or stringer to theseveral fence units as the fence is built up, thus providing a completedfence including such rail or stringer as a definite part thereof. It isa further object to so arrange the fence units and such rail or stringerthat the interlocking between the parts can be effected in simple mannerand without the need of special tools, or tools of complex or unusualconstruction. The interlocking means herein disclosed is such thata'very strong and permanent connection is thereby provided between thefence units and the rail or stringer.

A further feature of the invention is to provide the fence units withshouldered portions which may be readily engaged for driving the fenceunits into the ground to the necessary depth, such driving being by ahammer or other'suitable tool to drive the units either by pressure orimpact as desired.

Other objects and uses of the invention wi1lappear from a detaileddescription of the same, which consists in the features of construction,and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows an elevation of a section of run of fence, comprising twoof the standard units and an end unit, the fencing shown in this figurebeing located on a substantially level plot of ground, and the fencingshown in this figure being provided with a low level rail or stringerembody; ing features of the present invention; I V

Figure 2' shows a section of run of fence similar to that shown inFigure 1, but it shows how the fence units can be used to provide afence of uniform height extending along a plot of ground which is ofnon-level form, a low level rail or stringer being shown by dotted linesin this figure;

Figure 3 shows a section of run of fence similar to that shown in Figure1, but it shows how the fence units can be used to provide a fence or"varying height'with respect to the surface of the ground whereon suchfence is erected;

Figure 4 shows a plan view of a section of fence embodying the featuresof the present invention; such section of fence being straight;

Figure 5 shows a plan view similar to that of Figure 4, but with thefence following a curved line to meet the desired contour of the plotbeing fenced;

Figure 6 shows a fence unit of the form used in producing the fencesections shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, but the unit shown in Figure6 is provided with an offset or shouldered portion at the ground levelto provide a'shoulder which may be readily engaged for drivin or settingthe fence unit into the ground;

Figure 7 shows on enlarged scale as compared to Figures 1 and 2 afragmentary elevation of the portions of two fence units which portionsoccupy positions close to the ground level, and this figure shows a lowlevel rail or stringer extending along the fence, and comprising anglebar section, such rail or stringer being interlocked with the fenceunits by one form of such interlock;

Figure 8 shows a horizontal or plan section of the construction shown inFigure 7, being taken on the line 88 of Figure 7, looking in thedirection of the arrows; the interlocking means shown in Figures 7 and 8comprising notches formed in the vertical risers of the fence units, therail or stringer being provided with openings to accommodate thevertical risers of the units, and with lugs or tongues which may bedeformed after the rail or stringer and the fence units have beenassembled together in order to lock the units to the rail or stringer;

Figure 9 shows a fragmentary horizontal view of the interlock betweenone of the fance units and the rail or stringer on larger scale than thescale of Figures 7 and 8, the parts being locked together, and Figure 9being a horizontal section taken on the line 99 of Figure 10, looking inthe direction of the arrows;

- Figure 10 shows a vertical section taken on the line Ill-l0 of Figure9, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 11 shows a view similar to that of Figure 8 also on enlargedscale as compared to Figures 1 and 2, but it shows a construction inwhich the fence units are of square cross-section instead of round as inthe form of Figure 8;

Figure 12 shows a vertical section taken on the line l2|2 of Figure 11,looking in the direction of the arrows and also on enlarged scale ascompared to Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 13 shows on a still more enlarged scale as compared to Figures 1and 2 a horizontal fragmentary section through one fence unit, and arail or stringer locked thereto by another form of interlockingarrangement in which the interlocking is provided by turning the fenceunit through a proper amount of turn with respect to the rail orstringer after the riser of the fence unit has been set through the railopening; Figure 13 being a horizontal section taken on the line l3-l3 ofFigure 15, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 14 shows a horizontal section taken on the line 4-44 of Figure15, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 15 shows a vertical section taken on the lines l5l5 of Figures 13and 14, looking in the directions of the arrows of said figures;

Figure 16 shows an enlarged scale fragmentary elevation of theinterlocking parts of two adjacent fence units of the form shown inprevious figures; and

Figure 1'7 shows a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line l1|1of Figure 16, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring first to Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, each fence unit comprisesa section of wire or rod formed to provide the vertical riser portion20, the upper recurved portion 2|, and the outwardly formedinterconnecting lug portion 22. Preferably there is also provided arather short vertical section 23 between the upper curved portion 2| andthe lug portion 22, such arrangement adapting the units more readily tomeet such conditions as rising or falling ground levels on which thefence units are installed.

Reference to Figures 16 and 17 shows the form of the portions 22 and 23in greater detail than Figure 1. From Figures 16 and 17 it will be seenthat the lug portion 22 is readily formed by fiattening out the endportion of the rod from which the unit is made, and thus widening suchend portion, and this flattened portion or lug is perforated with a hole24 of size to receive the riser 20 of the adjoining fence unit when theunits are assembled into continuous fence run. The locations of theholes 24 of the unit lugs are far enough removed laterally from thecurved portions 2| (and from the vertical portions 23, if provided) sothat when the successive fence units are assembled together the parts ofsuch successive units will not interfere with each other, but willproduce an attractive and regular fence as will be evident fromexamination of Figure 1. In order to complete a run of fencing and togive a finished appearance and form to the end thereof, use may be madeof one special unit of simple U-shape as shown at the right-hand ofFigure 1, both sides of the curved upper portion 25 of such special unitbeing carried downwardly the full distance so that they both come to ormay be inserted into the ground.

The lower portions of the several fence units are inserted into theground a suitable distance to give proper support to the fence units. InFigure 1 the ground level is shown as being substantially horizontal,and the lower portions 26 of the various units are set down into theground for support as shown. Both arms of the special end unit 25 arethus set into the ground. If desired these ground settings may be madein concrete or other special supporting means, but generally it will befound satisfactory to set the riser portions directly into the ground,if such riser portions are made long enough to provide for a sufficientdepth of such setting.

In Figure l I have shown the longitudinally extending low level rail orstringer 21 extending from unit to unit. I shall describe several formsof such rail hereinafter, and also shall disclose the means whereby suchrail may be readily interlocked with the several units which ittraverses.

In Figure 2 I have shown a section of fence such as just described, butinstalled on a plot of ground of descending level. The ground surface isshown at 28 in this figure. Due to the descending contour of this groundsurface it is seen that each unit progressively towards the right is setat a lower level than its left-hand neighbor. For this reason the lugs22 engage with the successive fence units higher up on said units thanis the case when the units are installed on level ground. By providingthe short vertical sections 23 in the several units it is seen thatinstallation of the units on rather steep ground can be readily madewithout causing the lugs to engage over more than a small portion of thecurvature 2! of successive right-hand units; and generally the holes 24formed in these lugs will be of somewhat oversize so that properengagement with such slight amount of curvature will be possible, as inthe installation illustrated in Figure 2. In that figure I have alsoshown the horizontally or longitudinally extending rail or stringer 29extending between successive fence units. I shall hereinafter discloseforms of such rails or stringers, and the interlocking means, which isadapted to meet the conditions imposed by the fact that such rail orstringer is not set at right-angles to the risers of the several fenceunits.

In Figure 3 I have shown installation of fencing on level ground, butwith .thesuccessive units set-at varying depthsso that'thetop of thefence presents a slanting line. In so setting the-several units theconditions of interlockingbetween successive units are similar to theconditions presented in the installationshown in Figure 2; but I havenot shown any longitudinally extending low level rail or stringer in theinstallation shown in Figure 3.

In Figure4 I have shown a plan view of a section of the fencing whichextends in a straight line. In Figure 5 I have shown a planview of asection of fencing following a-curved line corresponding to a curveddefinition ofa plot of ground. It will be readily seen that even a verysharp curvature may be followed in the installation of the fencing.

In Figure 6 I have shown the vertical riser of afence unit as providedwith an onset portion defining theshoulder in such riser. Preferablysuch offset portion will be so located that when the unit is set theproper distance into the ground for proper supportthis shoulder willcome to or close to the groundsurfaee as shown in Figure -6. Thisshoulder maybe readily-engaged by a hammer or other tool for-driving theriser of the unit into the ground-{and by properly locatingv thisshoulder it will also define the limit of the depth towhich the unitshould beset into the ground. Thus this shoulder when provided willserve two useful purposes.

Reference may now be had to Figures 7 to 15, inclusive, showing variousforms of interlocking means between the longitudinally extending rail orstringer and the several vertical risers of the fence units which ittraverses. In the arrangement of Figures 7 and 8, each of the verticalrisers is provided with a notch at one side, 3|, of depth su-fiicient toensure the desired interlocking action, but not of sufficient depth toreduce the strength of the riser seriously. In thesefigures the rail orstringer is shown as comprising an angle section, the web 32 of suchangle section being set horizontal and the flange 33 of such anglesection being set vertically. The notches 3| are of vertical dimensionor width sufiicient to accommodate the web of the angle 32, andpreferably these notches are made of greater width than the thickness ofthe angle web, so that when fence installation is made under suchconditions as that shown in Figure 2 wherein the rail or stringer is notat right-angles to the vertical risers of the fence units the properinterlocking between the risers and the stringer may be effected.

The web of the rail or stringer is provided with an opening in positionand of size to accommodate each of the risers of the fence units to beinterlocked with such stringer. These are the holes 34 shown in Figure 8(and also on larger scale in Figures 9 and 10). The web of the stringeris also cut back from these holes to release the tongues 35, whichtongues are formed upwardly as shown by the dotted lines in Figure 10,and the parts are so related and proportioned that when these tonguesare thus originally formed upwardly and at an angle as shown in Figure10 there will be provided openings of sumcient size to permit the risersof the fence units to be set down through, these so enlarged openings.Thereafter the risers may be shifted sidewise slightly, o the stringermay be shifted slightly in the opposite direction to engage the edge ofthe opening of the stringer with the notch of the riser, thus engagingthe parts together.

6.. Thereafter the tongue 35 may be forced down into surfacealignmentawith the web of the stringer, thus reducing the opening of theweb and locking the riser. in place. When thus locked; the tongue willprevent lateral movement ofthe riser sufficiently-to permitdisengagement to occur; but by formingthe parts of ample- ,clearances itwill be possible for the stringer to be. shifted angularlywith respectto theriser suchan amount astoaccommodate differences of elevationbetween successive. fence units due to round slant, as. shown,forexample in Figure 2.

The arrangements, shown in Figures ,7, 8, 9 and 10 are for roundfenceunits, that is, units formed of round stock. In Figures 11 and 12 I haveshown similararrangements in which, however, the'fence units are made ofsquare stock. The locking effects produced in the case of square orrectangular section fence units are, however, similar to those. lookingeffects of the round stock arrangements previously illustrated anddescribed.

In Figures 13, Hand 15 I have shown another interlocking arrangement forensuring proper interlock between. the risers of the fence units and thestringer. In this case each ofthe fence unit risers is of squarecross-section, and is pro-- vided with an encircling notch 36 of widthsulficient to accommodate the thickness of the stringer to be receivedtherein. This notch may be circular as shown in Figures 13 and 14. Thebar of the stringer is provided with a rectangular opening 3'! of sizesufiicient to permit the riser to beset downthrough the opening of suchstringer bar. Thereafter the fence unit and its riser may be rookedorturned through approximately 45 degrees to bring the said riser intoposition shown in Figures 13 and 14 as compared to the opening of thestringerbar.

It is noted that the form of interlock shown in Figures 13, 14 and 15 ispredicated on the fact that the riser is non-round in cross-section. Inthe arrangement shown in those figures the sides of the rectangularopenings in the stringer bar extend parallel to the edges of such bar,this arrangement permitting openings of given size to be formed in saidbar with a minimum amount of reduction in the section of such bar at thelocations of these openings, and correspondingly with a minimum of lossof strength of the stringer bar. With this arrangement the fence unitbars will be formed with their edges facing directly away from the planeof the fence.

While I have herein shown and described only certain embodiments of mypresent invention, still I do not intend to limit myself thereto, exceptas I may do so in the claims to follow.

I claim:

1. A sectional fence comprising a series of selfcontained units eachincluding two arms connected by a top connecting portion, one of saidarms being substantially longer than the other arm, means to interlockthe shorter arm of each unit with the longer arm of the adjacent unit,together with a longitudinally extending running rail extendinglengthwise of the fence, the longer arms of successive units beingprovided with laterally facing notches, said rail being provided with anopening to accommodate the longer arm of each unit, each such openinghaving an edge portion facing the notch of the unit arm corresponding tosuch opening, and of dimension to enter into such notch for lockingpurposes, the longer arms of the units extending through thecorresponding openings of the rail, and a tongue carried by the rail atthe location of each opening through such rail and at that side of suchopening opposite to the edge portion aforesaid, each tongue being ofdimension greater than the size of the corresponding rail openingmeasured in the direction of such tongue minus the dimension of the unitlonger arm in such direction, whereby when the edge of the opening ofthe rail is accommodated within the notch of the unit arm and the tongueis caused to lie parallel to the length of the rail said tongue engagesthat face of the unit arm opposite to the notch of such arm withretention of the edge of the rail opening within such notch and lockingof the unit arm to the rail.

2. A sectional fence comprising a series of selfcontained units eachincluding two arms connected by a top connecting portion, one of saidarms being substantially longer than the other arm, and the lowerportion of such longer arm being adapted for insertion into the groundfor support of such arm in substantially vertical position, each of saidother shorter arms being provided with a substantially horizontal lugextending outwardly from the lower end of such shorter arm in the planeof the top connecting portion aforesaid, and the lug of each suchshorter arm being of thickness substantially less than the diameter ofthe material comprising the shorter arm, and being of widthsubstantially greater than the diameter of the material comprising suchshorter arm, each such lug being provided with a through opening lyingcompletely within the width of such lug and surrounded by the materialof such lug, each such opening being of size to receive therethrough thelonger arm of the adjacent fence unit, substantially as described.

3. A structure as defined in claim 2, wherein the lower end portion ofeach longer arm is pointed to facilitate insertion into the ground,substantially as described.

4. A structure as defined in claim 2 wherein 8 the through opening ineach shorter arm lug lies with its center substantially coincident withthe plane which includes the top connecting portion of the unit of whichsuch shorter arm is a part, substantially as described.

5. A structure as defined in claim 2 wherein each longer arm is providedwith an upwardly facing shoulder substantially at the ground levelposition when such unit is inserted into the ground, whereby suchinsertion is facilitated by force exerted against such shoulderdownwardly, substantially as described.

6. A lawn wicket embodying a single vertical leg merging into a lateralportion integral therewith and terminating at the opposite end of thelateral portion in an eye adapted to receive the vertical leg of thenext laterally adjacent wicket.

7. A lawn wicket embodying a single vertical leg merging into a lateralportion integral therewith and terminating at the opposite end of thelateral portion in an eye in a substantially horizontal plane adapted toreceive the vertical leg of the next laterally adjacent wicket.

8. A wire lawn wicket having a single vertical leg for insertion intothe ground and an upper lateral portion extending from said leg andterminating in an eye in a substantially horizontal plane and disposedremotely from said leg for passage therethrough of the vertical leg ofthe next laterally adjacent wicket.

WILLIAM M. MARTENSEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 117,865 Clarke Aug. 8, 1871257,194 Waters May 2, 1882 888,905 Johnson May 26, 1908 1,730,936 HighOct, 8, 1929

